The present invention relates to improvements in bobbin reconditioning systems, particularly bobbins which have been stripped of yarn from previous uses. The reconditioning puts them into condition for reuse.
The present invention is particularly advantageously used in conjunction with the apparatus of applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,917 entitled "Bobbin Stripping System", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The '917 patent discloses a bobbin cleaning system for removing fiberglass remnants of rovings and the like from a bobbin in order that the same can be reused. The fiberglass yarn is stored on plastic bobbins, and the residual windings of yarn to be stripped off of the bobbin are removed with a water jet cutting system. The apparatus of the '917 patent has been found to be effective to completely remove yarn from a high proportion of bobbins but a human inspection is still desirable to be sure they are completely free of residual fibers. Furthermore, the bobbins as supplied to the apparatus of the '917 patent have may have deficiencies which prevent their reuse in a glass fiber yarn manufacturing process. For example, the bobbins are sometimes nicked or otherwise damaged so as to render them unusable for further use as fiberglass bobbins. In addition, if the bobbins are soiled, the soil can fall off at a later stage of processing and damage or foul the delicate yarn and equipment used in later stage processing.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an apparatus and a method to recondition bobbins that have been stripped of the yarn, to weed out non-reusable bobbins such as those which are damaged or those which require more yarn stripping and to clean other bobbins so they are ready for packing for reuse.